


To be there when I fall...

by Eemsterpower



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Draco takes care of Harry, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Major Illness, MuggleDisease, Post-War, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 13:22:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5335628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eemsterpower/pseuds/Eemsterpower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter is dying, quite literally.</p><p>He is terminally sick by a disease that is not even a Magic one. His Muggle blood is killing him and no one knows. No one notices even. His friends have been nearly ignoring him for no reason and no one even sees that he's not eating, not sleeping and feels like puking all the time. No one notices.</p><p>Except for Draco Malfoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To be there when I fall...

**Author's Note:**

> It's finally finished! Sorry for those who stumbled upon this when I acidentally posted it, but it is finished now! I hope you like it!

Potter was back.

That was the first thing he noticed as soon as he set foot on the Hogwarts Express. The raven haired boy was sitting in a compartment to the far right, joined by his usual two followers and the Weaselette, Ginevra. He looked different though, his appearance was slightly off somehow, but Draco couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was. There was just something about him that somehow didn't fit. Maybe it was the fact that the boy was still wearing Muggle clothing, but then again, he also wore Muggle clothing during the Great War. Draco truly didn't know what it was.

There was a loud shout of his name and a happy squealing sound, and so Draco turned to find his friend, Pansy Parkinson, standing on the left, waving him over. He glanced at Potter once more before starting to walk towards the compartment Pansy was in. She was sitting on the right, next to Blaise, who was reading a book, so he sat down on the other, empty bench and smiled. "Hey Pans."

"Dray, I'm so glad you decided to come back with us!" She smiled brightly at him, flicking her brown hair out of her eyes. Draco knew many people thought that Pansy liked him and even that they were dating, but they were both not true. For starters, he would've absolutely known if they were dating, and second, Pansy was a lesbian. Not that anyone saw that coming of course. She'd done a good job hiding it.

Blaise however, had barely lifted his eyes off his book. He'd vaguely grumbled something that sounded like an hello, but it sufficed. He knew how Blaise could get if he was reading a good book. To his own embarrasment, the dark haired boy had even cried more that once in the presence of Draco and Pansy, just because his favourite character had died.

"Well, I'm just hoping nothing bad will happen this year." He sighed. "We're going to have to watch our backs though. There still are some idiots that are out for revenge." His hand unconsciously slid toward where the Dark Mark had been. After spending a lot of money, time and investment in it, he finally found a way to have it removed. It hurt like hell and there was a big ugly scar on his left bottom arm now, but everything was better than that vile thing. He shivered once again.

"You're thinking about the Mark again aren't you?" Pansy questioned, interrupting his dark thoughts. When he nodded, she went on; "You should stop thinking about it. What's done is done and it wasn't even out of free will. Let it go. How is your wand by the way?"

Despite the obvious subject change, Draco smiled. Potter had given him his wand back about three weeks ago, claiming he was sorry he took it and that he was utterly grateful for it's work but that Draco deserved to have it back. To be honest, he didn't even know Potter had his wand, thought he had lost it, but despite how Gryffindor it was from Potter, he had to admit it had been decent to give it back. In the same conversation they had discussed how useless it was to still be enemies and had decided on being 'acquaintances', both admitting that friends would be taking it too far. And that's where they'd left off really.

"It's doing better, it's getting used to me again I think." In the beginning, Draco had had some problems with the Hawthorn wand. Seeing it had just gotten accustomed to being loyal to Potter, and now it was back in the hand of its old master, it had had its moods where it had just refused to work. But, like he said, it was getting better, and the wand's moods were getting rarer over the weeks.

Pansy smiled again, something that she'd been doing an awful lot lately - Draco was going to have to talk to her about that -, and clapped her hands. "Well, isn't that wonderful! Don't you think Blaise?" She, not so softly, nudged Blaise' side until he groaned and looked up for a seconds, saying; "What? Oh, yeah, of course." He clearly had no idea what they were talking about and Draco could see Pansy was ready to smack him.

"Leave him Pans." He told her softly. "You know how he gets when he's reading a good book."

"Fine." Pansy huffed, crossing her arms. About a minute later, the old candy witch came by. "Hello dears, do you want something off the trolley?"

And it was not Draco's fault that he ordered for five galleons of food.

***

It was later that week that Draco noticed that something was really off with Potter. In all honesty, every time he looked over towards the Gryffindor table, the boy looked ready to puke. Now maybe Draco did look over towards there too often, and maybe it was a habit he'd grown over the years, but that didn't change the fact that Potter seemed sick. The weird part however, was that usually, their cheeks get really red and the rest of their face would turn really pale, but none of that was happening with Potter. He just sat there, appearance normal, yet still having that slightly off edge to it, but normal, yet ready to throw up as soon as the food appeared.

It had been happening for three days straight now, that Potter looked fine until the food appeared, and then to start looking sick, yet today was, seemed slightly different. He didn't know what started it really. He just woke up that morning with this anticipating feeling in his stomach. Something was going to happen today, he just knew it. He didn't know what though.

Throughout the day, nothing happened, much to his disappointment and he was slowly starting to wonder if he had been wrong about the happenings today. That was, until dinner. The days beforehand, Potter had just been sitting there, with that sick look on his face, pushing around the food on his plate with a fork. Draco honestly couldn't understand why nobody noticed it, as even he, from across the room could see it. And yeah, maybe he was a bit obsessed by Potter, always had been, but that didn't change the fact that Potter was being bloody obvious.

Today however, was different. As soon as the food appeared, Potter rose to his feet, said something to Weasley and Granger, who didn't even seem to hear him, and left the Great Hall. This was it, he knew it. He had to go after Potter. He stood up as well, earning confused looks from Blaise and Pansy straight away, and said; "I have a major headache and I'm not that hungry either. I think I'm going to lie down for a bit." And then he quickly hurried away before they could ask him for details, the confused frown from Blaise and the mothering stare from Pansy on his back as he left. Ha, take that Potter!

But outside the doors, he found that he'd already lost Potter. Indecisive of whether he should go left or right, he had an idea. Now there only was a small chance that it could work, considering, his and Potter's wands weren't bound, but his own wand had served Potter for a while hadn't it? He would be stupid not to try. And so, he stretched out his hand and placed his wand flat on it. "Reperio Potter." He whispered softly, and as by magic, well, it was magic, the wand in his hand started turning.

He quickly followed it's directions, ignoring the itch in his hand, which was a side effect of the tracking spell, and walked as fast as he could with the wand balance on his hand. And to his suprise, it lead him to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He wasn't as stupid to immediatly barge in, but slightly opened the door, watching Potter lean over the sink. It was a very familiar sight, as not even two years ago, Potter had been the one to find him standing like that, at the exact same spot. The only difference was that Potter wasn't crying, he could see that in the mirror. Potter did look really bad though, his cheek hollow and eyes sunken. He made the mistake, however, to be too eager, lean on the door a little to heavy, making it creak in it's hinges.

Potter reacted faster than anyone could have imagined, grabbing his wand from the edge of the sink, and casting a perfect Glamour over himself in a second. And there he was again, the perfect boy with the little off edge Draco had seen of the train and in the Great Hall everyday. It was a Glamour.

Right now, Potter's face was contorted to one of confusion and anger, the disbelief in his voice high as he hissed; "Malfoy? Why the hell are you following me?"

But Draco didn't sneer back. He and Potter had fought so much the past seven years, that he knew that if he responded right now, they would fight and he would never get to know what was going on. So, he repressed the urge to sneer back and held his hands in the air as a sign of surrender. "Believe it or not, Potter, I am worried about you. You've been looking sick at dinner for days, and now... What's the Glamour for?"

Potter didn't respond. He just lowered his wand and turned back to the sink, washing his hands slowly. Draco couldn't believe the nerve of this boy. He'd just said something really important, something his father would turn around in his grave for, and Potter just blankly ignored it. "I asked you a question, Potter." He hissed. "And if you don't take that Glamour off now and tell me what it going on, then truce or not, I'm going to hex you seven ways into Sunday and sneak you Veritaserum and make you spill the beans anyway, so you now better bloody talk."

Potter sighed softly, turning back to Draco with crestfallen eyes. Taking up his wand, he waved it over himself and whispered; "Finite Incantatem." The Glamour slowly disappeared and once again, Draco was met by the sight of Potter's sick body. Now that Potter was actually facing him, it was even worse. Below his robes, Potter looked sickly thin and his face looked like a ghost, pale and fallen, with his lifeless hair stuck to his forehead. It was a terrifying sight, to see the The Boy Who Lived this sick. He couldn't help himself and soon Draco found himself whispering; "What happened?"

Potter sighed again, and threw his hands up in the air. "What, you're not going to laugh? I've got cancer Malfoy, I've got a tumor in my head. Isn't that ironic? The boy who killed Voldemort now gets defeated by a stupid disease!" Potter was silent once again, looking at Draco's confused face. It lasted for a few seconds before realisation dawned on his broken face and he asked with a soft, nearly inaudible voice; "You have no idea what cancer is, do you?"

Draco shook his head embarrassedly. He knew a lot, and it didn't happen often that someone knew something he didn't, but he'd never heard of cancer. Potter nodded slightly in understanding and came to sit down next to him on the cold bathroom floor, legs shaking like the short conversation had worn him out already. "Cancer is a Muggle disease. Not all of the wizarding world can get it though, only the ones with Muggle blood. Basically, what happens is that instead of the right cells, the body starts making harmful destructive cells that break you down from the inside. These cells usually cloth together into one big bunch called a tumor and I've got one of those in my head." He laughed humourlessly and rapped the side of his skull with his knuckles lightly.

That explained why Draco hadn't recognised the term cancer. He didn't know anything about Muggles nor their diseases. He was raised to believe that Muggles were a vile species and worth nothing, and although he'd shaken that off by now, that didn't increase his knowledge. And although Potter had explained what is was, he hadn't said why he still had it. "But, we're wizards, right? Isn't there some cure for something as simple as a Muggle disease?"

Potter snorted softly. "I wish. There is a potion, but they discovered the tumor really late. If I take the potion today, there is a 50% chance that I die anyway. If I take the potion tomorrow, the is a 50% that I die anyway. If I take the potion by the end of this year, there still is a 50% chance that I'll die. You see what I'm getting at?"

"You want to live as long as you can." Draco nodded. "Yeah, I see what you're getting at. What about Weasley and Granger, how did they react?"

Potter's already sucken face fell even more, and somehow, Draco sensed that something was terribly wrong here. "They don't know."

Draco's jaw slacked. Potter hadn't told them? He couldn't imagine Potter not sharing anything with his two favourite followers. "What? Are you having a shit with me Potter? Why would you tell me such an important thing and not them?"

Potter sighed, something he seemed to do a lot nowadays. He didn't blame the boy though, he could imagine what it was like, hiding such a lethal thing from the whole world that seemed to think he was the greatest hero ever. The sick boy hesitated for a second, before saying; "They just don't want to listen. When I first told them about the symptoms I was having, they told me it was nothing. When I still had them a week later, they said it was the flu. I went to St. Mungo's in secret, and when I came back with the news, they just talked straight past it. And they don't listen to anything I have to say. I get that they're in love and such, but they forget that their best friend is also there. And every single time I bring it up, they just talk right past it, because either Hermoine or Ron has something important to say."

That must be hard, Draco supposed. He couldn't imagine either Pansy nor Blaise be like that, ever, but he did recall that when Potter left the Great Hall about an hour ago, his friends indeed didn't seem to care. "And what about the Weas- your girlfriend, Ginevra."

To his surprise, Potter nearly smiled. "Ginny is even worse. We never talk, and if we do, it's always about how pretty the world is without Voldemort out there. Once, she even had the nerve to ask me if it would be better if we all erased the memories of the war. Everyone around me seems to think that now that I killed Voldemort, there is no darkness anymore even though there still are plenty Death Eaters on the run."

"So basically, your life just sucks." Draco commented dryly before he could stop himself, but, surprising him again, Potter let out a short, hoarse laugh. "Yeah, you could say that. After saving the whole world from a crazy dark madman, you would think I'd at least get a little rest before the next adventure starts, but no, life's a bitch."

Now if you had told Draco Malfoy a month, let alone a year ago, that he would be sitting on the floor of Moaning Myrtles bathroom, laughing about a joke that Harry Potter had just told, he would have hexed you for it. But now, now it seemed just natural, somehow. Draco smiled weakly, giving the sick boy next to him another once over. From the muscular chest he'd once had due to Quidditch was not much left, his ribs nearly visible through the tight shirt, arms frail and lifeless aside his body. His face was not much better. The once pitch black hair now looked dull and thinned out, sticking to Potter to his forehead by the thin layer of sweat that had built there. The only things that were familiar were Potter's still sturdy thighs and the glimmering bright emerald eyes. Nothing seemed to be able to put those down. "So, what now?" He was nearly afraid to ask.

Potter shrugged, a gesture that expressed so much hopelessness, that this time, Draco's heart really ached for him. "So now I'll try and survive the coming year. I've got this Muggle pill for when it gets really bad, called Chemo, but I'm putting those off as long as possible. They'll make my hair fall out." He grimaced. "And until then, I keep up the Glamour and hope I don't get a seizure. You won't tell anyone about this, right Malfoy?" Although the obvious question mark at the end of the sentence, Potter had stated it with less doubt than he'd expected.

Draco opened his mouth to answer, but on that moment, the sound of a girl wailing filled the hallway outside and both their eyes widened. Of course, they were in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, she would be around here somewhere. They jumped up as one, both of them having a history with the ghost and neither of them wanting to encounter her. Draco pulled Potter along, out of the bathroom and into an alcove across the hall, just in time to see the girl go through the door, the bathroom in.

When he turned back to Potter, the other boy had already put the Glamour back on and Draco frowned, noticing the mistakes in it again. Taking the hawthorn wand out of his pocket, he waved it slightly and fixed the errors. "There, you missed a scar or two and you made your skin too tan. It's better like this. And no, I won't tell anyone, it is a enough of a burden for you as it is already, I'm not going to make it worse by shouting it off the roof."

Potter smiled one last time at him, a sad smile, and said; "Thank you Draco." And before Draco could reply, again, he turned on his heels and walked away.

***

It had become a regular occurence for the two of them, meeting in a bathroom and talking about Harry's disease. They usually met up whenever Harry felt too sick to stay throughout dinner and so he would leave, Draco following after him a minute later. Yes, it had become Harry and Draco now, too. They'd dropped the use of the last names during the second meeting already, and it felt better that way.

"You know, sometimes I wonder," Harry had told him one day. "sometimes I wonder what would have become of us if I had taken your hand that day on the Hogwarts Express. Where we would have been now and what kind of persons we would have been."

"Not much good." He had replied. "I was a pureblood snob back then, no matter how much I dislike to say it, and you had no knowledge of the wizarding world. I would have made you a total prat from day one. Besides, we would live in a dark world then, because you would have never fought Voldemort then. And aside from all that, you would be dead. Voldemort would have killed you the second he came to power again."

Harry had nodded, but replied cynically; "Well, that would not be far off, I mean, look at me. I'm practically dead already." And with that, the conversation had turned back to that.

Tonight, they were meeting up in the Room of Requirement, being done with all the bathrooms and cold floors. They had decided to meet up at seven, but when Draco wanted to leave at ten to, Pansy blocked his way.

With a piercing glare, she watched him, Draco squirming under her gaze. "Where are you going? Again?" She frowned, studying his features as he tried to get out of the question. Then, her face suddenly lit up. "You've met someone!"

Draco sighed, a habit he'd unintentionally taken over from Harry. Of course Pansy would think he'd gotten himself in a relationship. Really, sometimes he wondered why the girl wasn't sorted into Huffelpuf. "No Pansy, I haven't met someone, not like you think. I'll tell you soon, when the time comes, okay?"

The girl snorted with a disappointed look on her face. "The hell you do, and if soon doesn't come soon enough, be prepared because I'll fill your shampoo with hair dye or something." And there was that Slytherin side of her. Draco simply laughed and turned, walking out of the dungeons with Pansy huffing behind him.

***

"I'm sorry I'm late." Draco huffed as the Room finally opened. He was panting by the speed he'd ran at, not wanting Harry to think that he'd ditched him like all of his friends had. "Pansy unfortunately chose this exact moment to interrogate me about where I'm going all the time." It was only then that he looked around the room.

Because Harry had been there first, the Room of Requirement had formed to his wishes. Creamy walls were dimly lit by the big fireplace of the right, and in one of the large sofa's Harry was sat, curled up into himself. He didn't look good, good being used relatively. Draco had watched Harry's progress, or rather downfall, over the past one and a half month, and this was definitely the worst state he had ever seen him in. Harry's face was contorted to a grimace of pain and his legs were shaking badly, despite being pulled to his chest. Draco mentally hexed himself for being so stupid not to look first. "Merlin, Harry, are you alright? Wait, of course you're not, god I'm so stupid." He pauzed for a second, realising he was rambling, then took a deeep breath and asked; "Can I do something to help you?"

Harry rubbed his eyes tiredly and motioned to the sofa next to his. "Just...sit Draco." The words were obviously strained, like it hurt to say them. "I don't really want to talk about my condition right now so...tell me about Pansy."

Draco grimaced as well. Usually Harry joked about his illness to lighten situations, mostly for himself. Him not wanting to talk about how it was going meant that it was bad, really bad. But, if Harry wished not to talk about it, then he wouldn't. And so, he sat himself down in the chair and said; "Fine. One thing you have to know is that Pansy is on hell of a persistent witch. When she wants something, she'll do everything to get it. So I was kinda scared when she suddenly started to interrogate me. But, she let me off alright with the message that if I don't tell her soon, I'll wake up with baby blue hair or something. I'll try to make up a believable story."

"No, it's fine. You can tell here if you want to." Harry said and upon seeing Draco's shocked face, he added; "They're your friends, Draco, and I trust your judgement that they're good people, Pansy and Blaise. So if you think they can handle it and not be rude, then you can tell them." Draco smiled and nodded, but obviously, Harry wasn't done yet. With difficulty, he stretched out his hand and uncurled his, previously,  forcefully clasped, fingers.

In the palm of his hand was a small, cylindrical, white pill and despite never having seen it before, Draco immediately knew what it was. "I think I'm going to take it." Harry whispered, hand shaking from the effort of holding it up. Draco stood up and walked over towards him. Kneeling down, he sat in front of Harry and closed his hand, finger for finger again. "That's your own choice Harry. If you feel like you need to take it, then you do. You don't have to prove anyone, anything."

Draco turned, wand in his hand, and transformed the vase on the table into a glass, filling it with water with a soft whisper of aguamenti. He handed it to the raven haired boy, knowing that it would make the intake of the tablet a lot easier. Harry took it gratefully, and whispered nearly inaudibly; "Thanks."

He'd done a lot of research over the past month, trying to get to know as much as he could about cancer, and what he'd found had shocked him badly. It was such an aggressive disease and there wasn't a painless solution. The death rate was the worst part, as even among the wizarding world, about a 1000 people died of it every year. That got the illness into the top three of most life demanding things in St. Mungo's and every other wizarding hospital in the world. Draco also knew why Harry was so reluctant about taking the Chemo. Despite killing the tumor cells, it also demanded a lot of the body. Not only did chemo destroy a person's hair sacs if taken regularly, but it also made your body collect solute, which made you a lot heavier. Now, the pills were less bad than chemo through IV, but Harry would still lose his hair and feel sick and have bad mood changes and days he just wanted to die. It would also make it a lot harder to keep up the pretences and the Glamour.

"It's going to be okay Harry." He whispered when the sick boy swallowed the pill with tears in his eyes. He spread his arms and Harry fell into the hug happily. "It's going to be alright."

***

"I think I'm going to break up with Ginny." Harry said, two nights later, and Draco nearly choked on his butterbeer. Spitting out the remainders of the burning liquid, he asked hoarsely; "Are you serious? When?"

Harry shrugged. "Now?" And after a pause; "I want you to come with."

Draco's eyes widened. "You can't do that Harry, I can't. Do you know how rude it is when you take someone with you to break up with your girlfriend? And why would you want to break up with Ginny, you two are like, the golden couple."

"Not anymore." Harry sighed, grasping the arm of the chair tightly. "Lately it feels different. Maybe it's just because I'm ill, but that doesn't change the fact that she feels more like my sister to me. It hasn't been feeling right lately and I know she feels it too."

"I understand." Draco nodded slowly. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm not going to come with you. She can't see me there, especially as no one knows we're friends now, remember?" They had kept their friendship silent, knowing it would only complicate things. People would think he, Draco, had put a spell on Harry and when they would search him for spells, the Glamour would be removed of course and then Harry's secret would be out.

Harry smirked, putting one hand in his robe pocket. "Who said you had to be visible?" He threw a big lump on shimmering material to his head before walking towards the door and even with his Seeker reflexes, Draco barely caught it. It was Harry's invisibility cloak. The invisibility cloak. Shaking his head in amusement, Draco put it on, his body disappearing right in front of him, before picking up the pace and following the raven haired boy out of the Room.

They found Ginny in the hallway in front of the Gryffindor tower, her fiery hair hanging loosely over one shoulder. "Ginny!" Harry called to stop her from walking and ran up to her. Draco took his time following him, not wanting his footsteps to be audible.

"Hi Harry." The Weasley girl smiled, but as Harry had said, it was more of a smile a girl would give to her brother rather than her boyfriend. "What’s up?"

Harry shuffled his feet lightly and Draco put an invisible hand on his shoulder slowly, making sure Harry knew he was still there. "Gin, can we talk?" He struggled finding words for a second, before bluntly telling her; "I want to break up with you. It hasn't been feeling right anymore."

Draco didn't know what he'd expected of Ginny to do, maybe crying or pouting, or maybe even her getting angry, but he certainly didn't expect her to let out a sigh and nod. "Yeah, I thought you would. If I'm being honest, I was giving you a few days before I would do it myself." She hesitated. "I've kinda met someone new. We- we've being going places, not calling in dates but I know we would both want to. We haven't done anything in the category of kissing or anything but, yeah, I think you get what I mean."

Harry smiled softly and hugged her tight. "I get what you mean Gin and I'm not upset. As an opposite really, I'm happy that you've met someone who can be there for you. Do you mind if I ask who it is?"

Ginny bit her lip and nervously stared at her feet. "Well, it's, I, um. Well, it's a girl and I think I'm bi and she's a Slytherin and I know you didn't like her before and-" She stopped, realising she was rambling and said embarrassedly; "Just, don't judge me okay?"

"I won't Ginny, you know I won't. If she's good for you then I don't care who it is." Harry reassured her. "Now, who is it?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "Pansy Parkinson."

***

"PANSY PARKINSON." Draco bellowed as soon as he entered the Slytherin common room. The brown haired girl shrunk in her chair under his gaze and instantly, all the other Slytherins left the room. The instinctive self preservation of the Slytherin knew that something big, and big, big fight was going to happen and none of them wanted to be in the middle of that. Of course, Draco knew that they were going to eavesdrop with their ears against the wall, and so as soon as the door closed for the last time, the muttered a soft; "Muffliato." Yes, he was upset that Pansy hadn't told him, but he wasn't going to spill her secret to everyone.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He turned to his best friend with a sad expression on his face, mixed with disappointment. Not many people were allowed to see his emotions like that, only Pansy did actually, and, now recently, also Harry. Pansy was still sitting on her chair, less frightened now that he had dropped the furiousness, but she knew he was still angry. "Tell you what?" She had an idea, but she kept an innocent look on her face.

Draco was ready to pull the hair out of his head. "That you are seeing Ginny Weasley for Merlin's sake! Why didn't you tell me? How long now?"

Pansy smiled sadly at him. "Since that time we came across them in Diagon Alley. And it's not like you're telling me who you are seeing either! You sneak away all the time, going Merlin knows where and meeting Merlin knows who and you think I wouldn't notice? I'm your best friend Draco!"

"It's not like that." He told her, and by the way his expression fell as he spoke, she felt her heart clench. He was serious, Pansy knew, and what was going on was even more serious. "Well, what is it like then?" She pressed.

Draco sighed, extending his hand towards her. "I'll show you."

***

Harry was in the Room of Requirement when Draco entered, just like he said he would be, staring into the fire with a rug draped over himself. He'd told Draco that the chemo made him often feel cold despite the area being a high temperature. "I told Ginny." He said softly, hands gripping the blanket tighter. "She was nice about it, and shocked, but she's fine now. Wanted me to promise not to die though."

"Did you, promise it?"

"I told her I couldn't."

There was this distant look on Harry's face, as if he were lost in his own little world. Sitting down on the couch lightly, next to his shivering body, Draco said with a soft voice; "Pansy is outside, she wants to meet you. Now if you don't feel up for it, I'll tell her to bugger off, it's your choice."

Harry looked up slightly, the hint of a smile on his face. "It's okay, it's nice she cares about you and I would like to make amends with her before it's too late." There it was again, the hint of emotion that showed that Harry thought he was going to die anyway. And the sad thing was, he probably was. Going to die anyway.

"Don't say things like that Harry." He told the raven haired boy, before walking towards the door. He peeked his head out, glad to still see a very expectant Pansy there. "You can come in, but be nice, he's very, very sick."

Pansy nodded slowly and followed him in. She had this worried expression on her face, the one she always had when she expected that something bad was going on. Harry looked up when the door closed and his and Pansy's eyes met for a second. The girl kept her face hooded but did turn to Draco, the shock very evident in her eyes. "Potter?" She whispered, not realising that it was, in fact, quite loud. "You're meeting with Potter? Why?"

Over her shoulder, Draco could see Harry shaking his head weakly and pointing at himself with a trembling had. Once again, Draco was hit by the condition Harry was in. He knew that the raven haired boy was very, very ill, but he was getting worse by the day now. It could be over any moment now and he found himself not wanting to be without the boy. "I think you should let him tell you that." He said to Pansy with a small, sad smile.

Pansy turned back to Harry without a word, a hesitant look on her face. Her expression changed to a worried, upset one when she came close though, taking in the hollowness of Harry's face and his trembling figure. It was the way she Always used to look at Draco when he was hurt and stuff and Draco felt a weight lift off his shoulders at the look of it. It meant Pansy cared and wasn't going to be mean to him, because that was something Harry really couldn't use right now. "Potter..." Pansy whispered, still slowly nearing closer. She was sitting on her knees in front of him the next second. "What is going on? Are you ill?"

Harry's eyes lit up by her kind words, nodding weakly. "Yes Parkinson, I'm dying actually."

"No he's not." Draco interjected sharply. "There is a 50% chance that you'll live. Stop talking so negatively Harry." He knew the way it sounded and he knew the look Pansy was giving him right now and he didn't care. Harry was not going to die. He couldn't have it.

"Fine." Harry sighed. "I might die soon. Big might."

"Oh shut up." Draco groaned, chucking a pillow at his head. Harry laughed softly, dodging it. "Did you take your chemo already?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I was waiting on you to remind me. Didn't feel like taking it while Ginny was still here." The conversation seemed to bring Harry back a little bit to the land of the living. He smiled slightly and ruffled his hair, tufts of black hair coming loose at the action. "Ah, my hair is starting to fall out as well again. Can you give me the potion?" With a nod, Draco walked to the cupboard where they had put the medication. The Room of Requirement had formed to their wishes and maybe it also sensed a bit that Harry was really sick, because it left their supplies exactly where they'd put them. He took out one pill of the strip that was lying in the cupboard along with the last small glass vial with purple potion, Draco needed to make new, and filled a glass with water. He handed them to Harry, who first swallowed the pill along with the water, then took the potion. His face scrunched up like it Always did when he took that particular potion and Draco silently took the little bottle from his hand a chucked it away in his robes for re-use. In his studies, a few weeks ago, Draco had come across a potion that would give Harry the ability of keeping most of his hair. The only side effects were that it would turn his hair blue for the first two days, but Harry was wearing Glamour anyway. That was, for the days he actually went out of the Room aside of his classes. Sadly for him, his friends hadn't even noticed his disappearance, even if it was going on for months on end now.

Pansy was looking at their nearly domestic actions with a critical eye. Draco smiled slightly at her and went to the little side kitchen that the Room provided to make some tea. When he came back, his two friends were deep in conversation and his smile widened, happy that they got along. When they left the Room two hours later, and Harry had seperated from then towards Gryffindor tower, Pansy nudged his with her elbow and said softly; "You like him don't you?"

Draco nodded slowly, knowing that there was no way of hiding it from her. "Yeah, I do, but that isn't what is important right now. What is important is that he is able to make best of the days he still has left."

Änd what better way is there than making out and being in love." Pansy wriggled her eyebrows creepily.

Draco gave her a stern look. "Pans, you know perfectly well that that isn't the way for this situation. I know you want me to have someone and I know you mean well, but just...not his time."

"I know Dray." Pansy sighed. "I know."

***

It was February when it all came to an end. Harry had survived both Christmas and New Year's, staying in Hogwarts of course, he'd claimed that he'd wanted the Weasleys to have a Christmas without Fred in their own. He and Draco had exchanged gifts and also took in coin Harry had used for Dumbledore's Army in the fifth year again as a sort of warning system now that Harry was turning worse and worse every day.

It was, ironically, February 14th when it happened and Draco was in Transfiguaration when the coin in his pocket started to heat up and nearly burn a hole in his robes. He frantically stood up, nodded to McGonagall, whom they had told about Harry's condition, and rushed out of class without even bothering to take his stuff. Pansy would take care of that.

A hasty _"Reperio."_ send him running to the East wing halls, second floor, finding Harry unconcious on the floor with a frantic Hermoine and Ron next to him. Funnily, his hair was still blue due to the potion and Granger was reciting all the hexes that could have done that _and_ could make him unconcious and Draco shoved her aside in frustration. He knelt down next to Harry's head, heart beating furiously, and pushed a bottle with a special kind of Pepper-Up Potion between his lips. Harry's eyelid fluttered slightly. "Harry, Harry, can you hear me, you need to stay awake right now okay? We've discussed this, so keep your eyes open or I swear _I'm gonna kill you."_ Harry nodded weakly in understanding and there was a hint of a smile on his lips, but he was obviously having difficulty keeping his eyes open.

"What the hell are you think you're doing?" Granger shrieked while Weasley was trying to pull him off.

"I'm _helping him, you bloody ignorant bastards."_ He shouted back. "Now let me do what I have to do, because I actually know what needs to be done, for Merlin's sake!" Before the two could respond, Pansy came running towards them, followed by a fretting McGonagall. "He needs to go to St. Mungo's'." Draco told her and she nodded.

Granger and Weasley were gobsmacked. "You're actually taking orders from him Professor?" Granger asked her, stunned.

"Yes, Miss Granger." McGonagall told her sternly. "On instructions of Mister Potter." And that had the littlest of smiles coming onto Draco's face.

***

As soon as Harry entered St. Mungo's, doctors swarmed around him and Draco had lost sight of him. Yes, he was on Harry's emergency list and so the first to be contacted, but Harry was having a very dangerous potion now and he wasn't allowed to enter. So now, he was forced to wait outside of the room until the doctors could tell him more and he was so goddamn frustrated. The only thing that kept him from yelling and protesting was the fact that Harry might be _dying_ in that room and the fact that he wanted to prove Granger and Weasley wrong, who were currently waiting in the waiting room because _they_ weren't on Harry's emergency list. You should have seen their faces.

But right now, Draco wasn't thinking any of that. All he could think of was that every second that dragged on could be another second the Harry could be dying and that he wasn't in there to be there with him when he did. What felt like centuries, but really was just thirty minutes later, the door opened and a white coated doctor came out, face emotionless. "I'm terrible sorry Mister Malfoy," And that was when Draco's heart lurged. This couldn't be happening, Harry couldn't be dead. How could he go on without that brave, strong raven haired Gryffindor in his life? He simply couldn't. Tears were starting to brim his eyes. "but you can't go in and visit him yet, the nurses are still running tests.

Wait, what?

"What?"

The man smiled slightly, noticing his obvious relief and disbelief. "He's awake Mister Malfoy, the nurses are running the tests on him right now." And by his own bloody surprisement, Draco hugged the man.

Ten minutes later, the last nurse came out of the room, telling him; "You can visit him now, but he's just fallen asleep again. These kind of potions always take a lot of energy away." But Draco couldn't care less that he was sleeping. All that mattered now was that he was _alive._ "One question though, the blue hair...?"

"Hair Keeping potion."He nodded at her. She smiled, nodded back, and left to wherever she needed to be. He entered the room, eyes trained on the pale person in the bed. Harry looked bad, really bad, yet somehow better that before. There was this slight colour on his cheeks and the steady rising and falling of his chest that comforted Draco that Harry was indeed getting better. He took a chair next to the bed and sat down, studying Harry's features. His hair was shaggy and still blue, slightly greasy as it was stuck to his forehead by a small layer of sweat. Cheekbones were high and more defined not that his face was hollow, but the hollowness didn't make him any less pretty and Draco realised that he was so gone for this man, it was just ridiculous.

Suddenly, Harry started to trash around in his sleep, face scrunched up in discomfort, body twisting and legs kicking. His arm was outstreched, fingers clasping, as if he were seeking for something frantically. Not able to watch Harry in such state, Draco reached out an grabbed the moving hand, unclasping his fingers and placing his own hand in Harry's grip. Harry's fingers tightened around his, but not painfully and his face relaxed, body slumping back against the matress as if he'd found what he were looking for. If Draco had been what he'd been looking for. Inside Draco's chest, heat flared up as his heart started to beat faster with hope. Maybe Harry felt the same? But he wouldn't let it get to him. He was rather Harry's friend than being nothing because he'd spoken too soon. And so he just stroked his thumb over the back of Harry's frail hand, noticing the way his bones were nearly piercing the skin.

Normally he would worry, but for now, he didn't. Not when he could feel the beat of Harry's heart under his fingertips, beating so much stronger that before. He smiled slightly, looking at Harry's thin face and therefor missing the door that opened behind him.

"You did this to him."

He looked up and turned around, finding Granger and Weasley in the doorway. They were both sporting an equally accusatory glare and looked like they could kill him the and there. Because he had been so lost in Harry land, Draco couldn't even tell who had spoken, but he didn't really care. They were both equally in the wrong here, even though they didn't think so.

"If I did this to him, which I didn't, why would I still be here, huh? Why would I not run away? Granger, your supposed to be smart, for Merlin's sake."

At first, Granger was visibly taken aback by the logical, nearly calm response. Then, she recollected herself and said in that familiar know-it-all tone; "Well, _why are you here then?_ No one wants you here."

Draco snorted. "Well, I think Harry wants me here, considering I'm on his _emergency list."_ It was a low blow and he knew it, but they deserved what was coming at them.

Granger paled and Weasley tightened his grip around her waist protectively. The red head spat; " _Why_ are you here Malfoy."

" _Why_ I'm here?" Draco started to get angry now. "I'm here because my fucking friend is in the hospital after he nearly died and I'm here because I know exactly what is going on with him because I was bloody listening when he told me!"

Granger rolled her eyes in disbelieve. It looked ridiculous on her. "And why would he tell you his condition Malfoy. You've been nothing but a prat to us for the last eight years. You are an awful git and Harry's can't stand you. Why would he tell _you_ and not us, his best friends? Now for the last time, WHY ARE YOU HERE."

Laughter filled his throat and he could barely hold it in. Were they really so bloody oblivious that they just didn';t notice their best friend dying on his feet? Instead he just chuckled lowly and nearly growled at them; "Because I fucking listen. Because I notice that he wears Glamours and that he is not eating. Because I listen when he tells me he has fucking cancer," Granger gasped as she recognised the term. "yes Granger, cancer, you know what that is, don't you? And because I've been taking care of him for the past bloody year now! Because I was there when he had to take awful medication and because I was there when he felt bad. Because I was with him when he broke up with Ginny and because I was there when his fucking best friends dropped him like he didn't exist anymore. I could go on some more, but the point is that I was there when you weren't, when you were just ignorant idiotic bastards who don't care about anyone but theirselves. You are dumb enough to believe that all is good now that Voldemort is dead, but you don't fucking see that your friend is haunted by deamons of his own. And no, you're not nearly his friends anymore, not when my friends have been better friends for him then you are."

The couple was gobsmacked. They were both opening and closing their mouths but no sound came out. Relishing their shocked state, Draco added smugly; "Now I might have just been a substitute friend for you two idiots, but I dare to say that I was a damn good one."

The grip on his fingers tightened and suddenly, a voice croaked; "You are way better than a substitute friend Draco, don't let yourself down. You're my best friend." And as much as it hurt to be friendzoned, Draco smiled beamingly at Harry, glad to see him awake and talking. With his free hand, he reached out and handed him the glass of water to soothen his voice.

"Harry!" Granger's voice pierced the silence. But what followed was not a Í'm glad your up' or a 'It's good to see you doing better.' No, it was followed by; "You're letting him say these things to us?!"

Draco could see the annoyance and hurt in Harry's features, even if it was carefully hidden. He could see the slight tightening of his jaw and the way he flexed his fingers against the glass. But then he shrugged, trying to feign nonchalance and said; "Well, Draco always has been better with words than I am, so yeah."

Weasley's jaw dropped open in shock and Granger gasped, but before either could say anything, the same nurse entered again. "Oh, Mister Potter, it's good to see you up! I am going to refresh your morphine, but now you're awake, only one visitor is allowed for today." She quickly changed the bags of his IV and then waited by the door until two of the visitors would join her. Granger's eyes were hesitatingly searching Harry's face, but Harry just tightened his grip of Draco's hand and fixed his two ex-friends with a harsh look. Granger swallowed thickly before turning and following the nurse out, Weasley looking back once before following her.

The silence that fell wasn't bad, Harry breathing softly and still holding Draco's hand. He relished the moments that it would take until Harry would realise they were still holding hands and the moments until he would pull away. But Harry didn't. Instead he whispered breathlessly; "Draco..."

Draco turned to look at Harry's face, emerald eyes shining once again like they used to. "Yeah?" he whispered back.

"Thank you." The look one Harry's face was so pure, so genuine, that it made Draco's heart swell. "I couldn't have said it any better." He reached up and pulled Draco close, hugging his tightly. Draco smiled and closed his eyes, hugging back. When he pulled back after a while, however, Harry stopped him from going too far away and held him so their noses were touching. Draco's heart started to beat faster and he could see Harry blush. "Draco...I hope I've been picking up the signals right because otherwise..." He didn't even finished his sentence because suddenly, he leant up and their lips touched.

They were kissing. That was all Draco's mind could take right now. They were actually kissing and his imagination hadn't done anything that Harry couldn't beat it to right now. He leant down slightly to make sure that Harry didn't have to crane his neck the whole time, but then Harry was pulling his down with him and then he was laying on the bed next to him, still kissing and god, it was all just too much to take in. It was absolutely wonderful, don't get him wrong, it was just a bit much, but that was alright. He didn't think he'd want to ever stop doing this with Harry. Little did he know Harry felt exactly the same.

That was also why both gasped when te door slammed open, revealing a dark haired girl, who gasped in shock when she saw the two breaking apart hastily. Pansy blushed furiously, grabbed the doorhandle and muttered; "Alright, sorry for interrupting, I'll leave you two at it then." She closed the door again. Draco looked a Harry, grey eyes shimmering in the dull hospital light and started to laugh. Harry joined him, the beautiful sound ringing in his ears and so they lied there together, enjoying the fact that they were alive and better now.

***

Harry was slowly but surely getting better. Five days after the potion, he was allowed to be up and walk for a bit, as long as there was someone to be there with him and stabilize him if he were going to fall. Because the had assured him that he would, fall, that was, because appearantly the cancer had taken a lot of his body and so moving his muscles again was going to hurt and was going to cause trouble moving around. But, Draco was with him, so that was alright. Draco hadn't left his sight for the past week, sleeping next to his bed and eating the hospital food together with him. He was there, every step of the recovery, just to make sure Harry was alright and to make sure that Harry knew he wasn't going to leave, not even now that he was getting better.

Pansy had returned a day later, holding a big bouqet of flowers and apologetic smile. She'd apologized on walking in, despite it not being her fault, but she claimed that she could've knocked. Which she could've, but still, it wasn't really her fault. McGonagall came by the same day to see how Harry was doing and to tell Draco that he had permission to stay absent for as long as Harry was. She had obviously noticed the way the former enemies were treating each other and it was just as obvious that she was happy about it.

Harry grimaced as he slowly got out of bed, hands placed in Draco's. Draco bit his lip, not wanting his - boyfriend?, he didn't know - to be hurt, but he also knew that this was a big step in the recovery process. It took it's time, but finally, Harry was standing and slowly walking with Draco towards the other end of the room. When he'd made it to the window, he stood there for a while, hands placed on the window sill, looking outside. After a while he said; "You saved my live, you know?"

Draco sighed. "No, I didn't. I just did what you told me to do. We've discussed this Harry, it's not called 'saving your life' if I were doing it on instructions."

"No, I don't mean that." Harry said softly, fingers gripping the window. He turned, emerald eyes sparkling as the morning light fell on his face. "That night, in the Malfoy Manor, when you refused to acknowledge my identity and admit to you father and Bellatrix that it was me. You saved my life that night and I never thanked you for it."

Draco grimaced at the memory, some more unwillingly appearing in his head too. "Well, you saved mine just a few days after, so I guess that makes us equal then."

Harry nodded and smiled at him. "Alright then, no more memories. They make me sad. Now come here and kiss me."

And Draco did.

***

Two weeks later, Harry was allowed to leave St. Mungo's. They were going to take refugee in Draco's appartment in Muggle London - yes he had an own appartment, he couldn't stand to live in the Manor anymore, - and Harry was happy to leave. He was walking on crutched yes, but at least he was walking again, and Draco could feel his heart swell, just by looking at the sheer excitement of his boyfriend. Yes, they were together now, Draco had asked Harry four days ago, a rose clasped between his teeth. It was probable the most romantic, sappy cheesy thing he, as a Malfoy had ever done, but he didn't really care. It was funny, because just a year ago, he'd have killed his future self for doing such and idiotic thing, but then the war happened and Harry happened and he couldn't care less. He was so gone for Harry and he knew it.

To their surprise, some people were waiting on them as they exited the building. They'd let out word that Harry was moved to Mary Elizabeth's Hospital in L.A. - which he wasn't - just to get the fans off their back, yet there were still people there. At first, Draco freaked, because Harry really couldn't have screaming fans yet, until he realised that he knew these people. It was the red hair that did it, of course. Ginny and Molly Weasley were waiting outside on them, together with Pansy and a little to the side were Hermoine and Ron standing.

Ron was the first to step up, opening his mouth to say something, but Harry hobbled straight past him on his crutches as fast as he could, wrapping Ginny up in a big hug as soon as he was close enough. Draco smiled, not even feeling jealous because he knew Harry simply saw her as a sister. "Hey Gin." Harry whispered.

"Harry. " She smiled back. "Good to see that you're feeling better." And that was where Draco knew that Ginny was going to be there for Harry as well, through anything. Don't ask him how he knew it, he just did, but he was glad about it. Harry whispered something to her and Ginny looked up at Draco, a twinkle in her eye. "You two huh? Yeah, I can see why." She then truly raised her attention towards Draco and told him; "Better take care of him or I swear, I'll stitch your dick to your forhead."And somehow, Draco didn't doubt that she could, so he nodded quickly and grabbed Harry's hand. "I will."

Molly glared at Ginny and said; "Oh, Harry dear, come give me a hug. Ginny told me everything Ron and Hermoine did and everything that was going on and I'm so sorry I weren't there for you. You should've told me sweetie."

Harry swiftly hugged her. "I know Mrs. Weasley, I guess I just didn't want to bother any of you. Well, aside of Ron and Hermoine, but they didn't listen anyway."

The smile on Molly's face was incredibly sad as she nodded. "I know dear, and I gave Ron a big earful for that. I can't believe my son would do such a thing. Luckily you had Draco to care for you. And you, Draco, dear. " And suddenly Draco was wrapped up in a big Molly Weasley hug. "Thank you so much for taking such good care of him." Draco didn't really respond aside of hugging her back. He didn't really know an appropriate answer and he knew that him, having Molly's seal of aproval meant a lot to Harry, so he just smiled.

Suddenly, voices became clear in the distance and he could see Pansy arguing heavily with Hermoine and Ron. Harry had forced him to call them that way, since he called all the Weasleys Weasley, so it became confusing. Pansy was saying something about 'ignorant idiots' and 'fucking blind' and 'not worth the seal of Gryffindor.' and Draco smiled. To his surprise, Harry was laughing too, especially when Hermoine splutted under the full force of Pansy's anger.

And that was when Draco knew everything was going to be alright just now.

***

_Six years later._

"Good night Harry and still a happy twenty-fifth birthday!" Draco watched how Ron and Hermoine were the last to disappear in the fire, arm wrapped around Harry's waist. With a flick of his wrist and a muttered spell, he closed the Floo system and sighed.

"You haven't forgiven them, still, have you?" Harry asked softly, taking Draco's other hand in his.

Draco sighed, leaning his forehead against Harry's. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I even can. What they did, it's just unforgivable in my book. I'm sorry."

Harry smiled softly, pecking his lips in a swift motion. "I know, and that's why I'm glad, really. I know that I couldn't stay angry at them for too long, but you're still here to remind them. I love you."

There was a slight raise of eyebrows and Draco said in a teasing voice; "Is that the only reason why you love me?" They were nose to nose now, Draco's hands on Harry's waist and Harry's arms around his neck.

Harry hummed. "I can think of a few others." He dipped forward, and upward since he was shorter, and planted a kiss on draco's lips. Draco pulled him even close, moving him lips as well and teasingly nibbling on Harry's bottom lip. harry moaned softly and opened his mouth for draco to move his tongue in. The kiss got messier and one kiss turned into kisses, but just when Harry's hands slipped under the waistband of Draco's jeans, a loud cry was heard.

Harry sighed, stepping back. "That must be Lily, I'll go see what's wrong. Can you get Scorpius? It's way over bed time for him as well and I don't want him to be grouchy tomorrow morning. You're lucky that you get to work eary so you don't have to endure that."

Draco chuckled, walking to the living room where their three year old son was playing with a plush dragon. When the's wanted a child, nearly five years ago, Ginny had been willing to be a surrogate mother. She'd been dating on and off for a few years now, but she was just 24, she had all the time in the world to find someone still. The little boy that was born was nearly an exact replica of Draco when he was little and they'd named him Scorpius.

Then, two years ago, Ginny had surrogated again, them promising it would be the last time, and this time it was a little girl. she was a mix of Harry's and Ginny's gene's, a little girl with bright red hair and green eyes. Draco secretly hoped she would become just a pretty as Ginny, because despite being gay, he had to admit the Ginny was rather beautiful. They had named the girl Lily, Harry's choice obviously, and she was now a year and two months old. THe whole big birthday party had been too much for her and so they'd put her to bed early. Too early obviously, because she was awake again now, just when Draco'd hoped to get some action in bed. Not that they didn't do it often, but birthday sex was always better.

"Come on little man." He lifted Scorpius up and put him on his hip. "It's time for bed."

Scorpius mushed his little face into Draco's side, hands still clasping the plush dragon and muttered in his adorable three year old voice; "Daddy tell me the stowy of the bad man Voldemowt?"

Draco smiled at him softly, brushing his son's hair out of his face. "Of course."

And when half an hour later, Draco slipped next to his husband into bed, he wasn't even thinking about birthday sex anymore. He just wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and burried his face in Harry's hair. Harry placed his head on Draco's chest and whispered sleepily; "Good night Draco, I love you."

Draco smiled softly.

"I love you too."


End file.
